When Paul Schumacher founded Canton-based Schumacher Homes in 1992, the company built about 10 homes a year. Sixteen years later, Schumacher Homes builds more than 500 homes each year and has expanded throughout Ohio and into Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Offering high-quality homes at affordable prices has helped lead Schumacher Homes to continued growth and success, but the company’s service is what really attracts customers, Schumacher says. In fact, the majority of the company’s new customers come from referrals.
Schumacher came up with two innovative ideas to make the homebuilding process easier for its customers — the Front Door Price Quote System and On Line Design.
The Front Door Price Quote System provides a straightforward approach to the quote process by itemizing more than 200 features so customers can view the price of an item, along with a picture and description. Everything is out in the open from the very beginning so that customers are not surprised by hidden costs, Schumacher says. Customers can experiment with changes in plumbing, lighting, exterior doors and cabinetry and see how that would affect the overall price.
Schumacher says Schumacher Homes was also the first builder in the nation to offer On Line Design, which allows customers to work with a new home consultant to make changes to their floor plan online. They then e-mail the revised floor plan to the company’s in-house design department, which draws the new plan and returns it to the customer within 48 hours.
All customers are also given a DVD that details each step of the homebuilding process, from signing the contract to details about Schumacher’s warranty program.
In addition to taking care of its customers, Schumacher Homes also takes care of its 175 employees. New employees participates in a week of training known as Schumacher University or Schu U, giving them the tools and information they need to succeed. Employees are tested on everything from customer satisfaction to the company’s policies and procedures.
At Schumacher Homes, employees are the key to success, so a well-trained staff leads to satisfied customers.
HOW TO REACH: Schumacher Homes, (800) 813-1116 or www.schumacherhomes.com
